This invention relates to an ampule storage container of a constant-rate dispensing type for storing ampules, and a constant-rate ampule feed device.
Since ampules used in the medical field have light permeability, if they are filled with a liquid high in light decomposability, the liquid will degrade and their pharmaceutical effects will be lost.
In order to avoid such inconvenience, such ampules are, as described in unexamined Japanese patent publication 4-253613, packaged in a light-shielding packaging material to prevent permeation of light.
FIG. 8 shows an ampule packaged in a light-shielding packaging material. A packaging material 2 having light shieldability is wound around the ampule 1, and flat portions 3 are formed by pressing both ends of the packaging material 2.
Since the ampule A is packaged by winding the packaging material 2, it has a cylindrical trunk portion 4 at the central portion between both ends.
Generally, there are various kinds of ampules containing different liquids. If the work of taking out designated ones from among various ampules, and sending them to nurse stations or treating rooms is performed manually by pharmacists, workability would be not satisfactory.
In order to solve such problems, for a storage/feed device described in unexamined Japanese patent publication 5-229660, ampules are stored in an ampule storage container in a row, and are dispensed one by one through the bottom of the container.
If ampules A packaged as shown in FIG. 8 are taken out mechanically by the storage/feed device described in the above publication, since the packaged ampules A have flat portions 3 at both ends, clogging of packaged ampules will occur in the ampule storage container, making it impossible to reliably dispense them one by one.
An object of this invention is to provide an ampule storage container for constant-rate dispensing, and a constant-rate ampule feed device which can reliably dispense such packaged ampules as shown in FIG. 8 one by one.
According to the present invention, there is provided an ampule storage container for dispensing packaged ampules at a constant rate, the container having a storage space which can store the packaged ampules which are packaged in a packaging material, both ends of the packaging material being pressed flat, with central trunk portions of the packaged ampules arranged substantially parallel to each other. A dispensing port for dispensing the packaged ampules is provided at one end of the storage space. Also, the ampules in the storage space are supported by the trunk portions of the packaged ampules with both flat ends thereof kept in a non-contact manner.
By supporting the trunk portions of the ampules only with the flat end portions kept in a non-contact state, the packaged ampules can be fed smoothly.
The ampules may be supported in the storage space either by protrusions formed on the inner surface of the storage space or on an endless conveyor for transporting the ampules toward the dispensing port.
The ampule storage container formed with the protrusions may be used either in a vertical position or in an inclined position.
The ampule container comprising a belt conveyor for supporting the trunk portions of the packaged ampules is used in a substantially horizontal position where the conveyor is located in a lower position.
According to this invention, there is also provided a constant-rate ampule feed device comprising the ampule storage container as described above and a dispensing means provided at the dispensing port of the ampule storage container for dispensing the packaged ampules one at a time.
By the provision of a dispensing means at the dispensing port, the packaged ampules fed toward the dispensing port can be dispensed one by one at a constant rate.
According to this invention, the dispensing means comprises a cylindrical rotor rotatable in one direction and a motor for driving the rotor. The rotor is formed with a groove adapted to receive part of the packaged ampule, and a step for keeping the flat ends of the packaged ampules out of contact with the inner surface of the groove while contacting the trunk portion of the packaged ampules.
Other features and objects of the present invention will become apparent from the following description made with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: